Lasts Long After Midnight

One Midnight With You by Shari Low is a heartfelt contemporary novel that I really enjoyed.

The action is set over twenty four hours on the 31^st December as we follow a cast of characters all coping with varying emotions. The book is broken down into two hour chunks as we alternate between varying points of view.

Many characters are dealing with loss. Loss comes in many forms – loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of relationship. Everyone deals with loss differently. Some cope by looking backwards but then we will miss out on today. Sometimes we need to let go of the past and embrace a new tomorrow.

We see the characters struggling with the death of lifelong partners. Grief looks different for everyone. We must grieve in the way that is best for us. “Gut wrenching sorrow… She was dealing with it the way only [she] would – she still chatted to [him] as if he was in the room.” There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

A character has stopped living after her relationship ended. With the help of friends, she has an epiphany on New Years Eve. “I don’t just want to be alive, I want to feel alive.” Life is for living, not for just existing.

We see the importance of prioritizing. “Prioritise the right things.” People, not possessions are what matter most.